Hand labeling apparatus



(No Model.)

. H. R. FAY.

HAND LABELING APPARATUS.

Patented May 20, 1890.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HENRY R. FAY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HAND LABELING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,246, dated May 20, 1890.

Application filed December 15, 1888. Serial No. 293,696. (No model.

To all whom, it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY R. FAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Hand Labeling Apparatus, of which the fol place of deposit to its position over thegummed surface; third, to affix the label.

In the hand-affixing of gummed stamps the object of my invention is, first, to moisten the surface on which a stamp is to be aflixed; second, to readily transfer a gummed stampsuch as a postage-stamp-Jrom any suitable place of deposit to its position over the gummed surface; third, to alfix the stamp.

My apparatus may be manufactured and sold at such a low price as will permit its general use in offices as a convenient, reliable, neat, and efficient hand labeling apparatus.

Figure 1 represents my hand labeling apparatus in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1 with brush and sponge removed. 3 is a plan of Fig. '1 with brush and sponge removed. Fig. 4 is a crosssectional view on line 1O 10 of Fig. 1,1ooking down. Fig. 5 represents in side elevation a modified form of my hand labeling apparatus. Fig.6 represents 1 in front elevation, and Fig. 7 isavertical sectional view of Fig. 5.

The elements of my apparatus, in its most complete form, are as follows: a hollow, elastic bulb or body, a porous foot,-a gum-brush holder and brush, and a sponge-holder and sponge.

The hand labeling apparatus, as represented by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4:, is made as follows: The hollow elastic spheroidal body 15, made preferably, of vulcanized rubber,is provided with the porous foot 16, gum-brush holder 17, and sponge-holder 18. The porous foot is provided with passages 19, which extend from the face of the foot to the interior of the bulb-body. These are the only openings into the interior of the bulb-body. The gum-brush holder 17 is provided with the gum-brush 20, of a common style; and the sponge-holder 18 is provided with the overlapping edges 21, used to securely hold the moistening-sponge 22. Sponge or any other known suitable absorbent may be used.

In the affixing of labels the operation is as follows: The bulb is held in thehand between the first and second fingers, with the thumb resting upon the top of the bulb. The gumbrush is then used to gum the surface on which a label is to be affixed. The top of the bulb is then depressed, as represented by dotted lines 23 in Fig. 1, by means of a pressure exerted by the thumb. Then the porous foot is placed in contact with the flat upper surface of the label to be afliXed. By the releasing of the tluunb-pressure a partial vacuum is produced within the bulb, and the label is held firmly by atmospheric pressure against the face of the foot. The label may then be transferred to and stamped on the gummed surface. By again depressing the top of the bulb the label is then released and the operation may be repeated.

It is usually not necessary to depress the top of the bulb in order to release the label, as the adhesive force of the gum is greater than the force obtained by the vacuum.

In the affixing of gummed stamps-such as postage-stamps-the operation is the same as in the affixing of labels, except that the sponge, previously wet with water, is used to moisten the surface on which astampis to be affixed.

NVhen the apparatus is to be used solely for the affixing of labels or stamps which have not been previously gummed, the spongeholder and sponge may be dispensed with; and when the apparatus is to be used solely for the aflixing of gummed labels or stamps, the gum-brush holder and gum-brush may be dispensed with; but gummed labels and stamps sometimes have an insufficient quantity of gum, and in such case the brush-holder and brush would be necessary, and each of the elements of the machine as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 would be used in succession.

The modified apparatus represented by Figs. 5, 6, and 7 is designed to be used in the affixing of gummed labels and stamps, and is constructed as follows: The hollow elastic bulb 24, made, preferably, of vulcanized rubber, is provided with the hollow wood foot portion 25, said foot portion being provided with the porous foot 26, having the passages 27, and the wire sponge-holder 28, designed to receive and hold the moistening-sponge 29.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An article of manufacture consisting of a hollow elastic bulb, a porous foot, and a 

